


Just One Day

by Ree_Dragon



Series: Beyond Their Star [6]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Blue Pearl is mute, Everyone & Everyone really, F/F, Family Fluff, Gen, Maybe some Blue Pearl/Jamie if you squint even harder, Maybe some Steven/Connie if you squint real hard, Probably too much thinking, birthday fun, way too many characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-24 02:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15620901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ree_Dragon/pseuds/Ree_Dragon
Summary: It's Steven's birthday, and his closest family and friends have put together a party for him.  Maybe this will be the year where he gets to just have fun and be with the people he loves without anything going wrong, whatsoever?





	Just One Day

This island paradise sure was peaceful.  Maybe a little small - the lump of sand and dirt he was relaxing on was only big enough for a nice, shady palm tree and a couple of beach towels, and there were no other land masses in sight.  Somehow, that was okay, and he felt perfectly safe and comfortable.  And why not?  He had his good buddy Dogcopter with him!  Absolutely nothing could go wrong.

“Steven!  Happy birthday!”  The coconuts hanging at the top of the tree cheered at him.

“Aww, thanks!”  Steven beamed at them.  That’s right - it was his birthday today!  Soon there’d be cake!  And presents!  And, most importantly, all his friends and family would be right there with him!  Today was the best day ever!

The coconuts started whispering among themselves - too quiet for him to make out the words - and he closed his eyes, intending to relax.  For a few moments it worked - the air was warm, there was a pleasant breeze, and he was with good company.  The whispering got louder until it almost turned into yelling - all his name.  That was okay.  But then pains started jabbing him in the arms and chest, and that wasn’t very relaxing at all.

“Ow, hey, stop!”  Steven tried shielding himself as the coconuts fell on him one by one, each calling out his name excitedly as it landed.  Unfortunately, they weren’t in the mood to listen to him.  An endless number of coconuts continued to fall, despite his protests.

And then he opened his eyes.

 _Wha—_   Steven blinked up at the blurred shapes hovering over him, rubbing his eyes.  As his vision cleared, he could make out two excited faces.  Well…one and a half excited faces, the other half hidden under a wall of pale blue hair.  What was going on?

Wait…

“Ruby?  Sapphire?”

Sapphire’s smile widened.  “Happy birthday, Steven.”

“Oh my gosh!”  Instantly awake, Steven sat up and wrapped his arms around both gems, pulling them to him.  “This will be the best birthday ever!”  Then his hug faltered.  “I mean…it would be even more awesome if Garnet could be here at the same time, but I’ve really missed you guys!”

“Garnet will be here before the end of the day,” Sapphire assured him.  “She wouldn’t want to miss the festivities.”

“Yeah!”  Steven pulled away from the couple.  “Oh my gosh!  There’s so much to do!  I have to get ready, and then we can all go to Funland!  Or on a mission!  Or hang out at the beach!  It’s going to be amazing!”

With that, he was off, sprinting down the steps and taking just enough time to grab a fresh outfit from his closet before heading into the bathroom to get ready for his day.  When he exited the bathroom about half an hour later - freshly bathed and clothed - Ruby and Sapphire were waiting for him near the door.  Only…they didn’t look like themselves.  It took him a moment to realize what had changed…

…They were each wearing one of his shirts.  Was it a Steven-themed Steven party?  That seemed more like something Peridot would do.

“You look great!” he grinned.  “Are we all ready?  I can’t wait to see everyone!”

“Then let’s not.”  Sapphire held the door open, and Steven charged outside with a cheer.  Where was everyone, anyway?  Well, Ruby and Sapphire would know.  He just had to follow them.  Maybe they were at the barn like last year, or at the car wash…

…or right there on the beach!  Steven stopped halfway down the steps and stared down at the group assembled on the sand below.  Pearl and Connie were setting up a few tables and several chairs in neat rows near the cliff.  Peridot was working on…something - it looked like Dad’s stage/backdrop thing with all the lights.  Lapis was walking along the shore, occasionally scooping up something - likely a crab or starfish - to toss into the water.  Amethyst was lounging in a chair near the tables, blowing up balloons.

Oh, and there was Dad’s van!  And Dad!  He and Blue were playing guitars a short distance away from Peridot - some kind of soft rock song he couldn’t recognize from this far away.  Dad was wearing his red shirt with the yellow star, and all the gems had taken some of Steven’s shirts of the day just like Ruby and Sapphire had.  Even Connie had taken one!  Steven giggled at that - they looked great!  Even if Pearl was having some obvious trouble keeping her shirt from falling off her slender shoulders.

“Steven!”  Connie was the first one to notice his presence.  She ran up the hill toward the steps, and - one by one - everyone else dropped what they were doing to join her.  Once she reached him, she all but dove into his arms, wrapping him in a tight hug.  “Happy birthday!”

“Happy birthday, Schtu-ball!”  Dad followed suit with a bear hug of his own.  “Are you ready for a day of fun and celebration?”

“Yeah!  Today’s gonna be great!”  Steven beamed at the group.  “I’m so glad to see all of you.”

Pearl smiled at him.  “You see us every day, Steven.”

“Well, yeah, but this is different,” Steven responded.  “Today’s special, and we don’t have the cluster to worry about this time.  And we have more family!”  He grinned at Peridot, Lapis, and Blue in particular.  The former had been around for his birthday last year, but she hadn’t really made the transition from enemy to friend at that point, and she hadn’t joined in the party with everyone else.

“Everyone’s still working on setting up,” Lapis said as she approached.  “Why don’t we go on a quick flight while they finish?”

Steven was perfectly fine waiting or even helping out with the party preparations, but…a special birthday flight?  That sounded amazing!  He beamed at Lapis.  “I’d love to!  If that’s really okay, I mean.”

“Of course.”  Lapis turned and knelt in front of him, water wings sprouting from her gem.

“This really will be a quick flight, right?”  Poor Dad…he looked so worried.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a trip over and around the city,” Lapis assured him.  “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“It’ll be fine, Dad.”  Steven gave him a reassuring smile.  “I’ve flown with Lapis loads of times!  Well…maybe only a few times, but she always looks after me.  I can even float on my own!  Well, sort of.”

“I know, Son.”  Dad’s smile looked a little strained, but he was trying to be supportive.  It was okay - he’d see when they both managed to come back in one piece.  “Have fun up there.”

“We will!”  Steven climbed on Lapis’ back.  She wrapped her arms around his legs and jumped, her wigs propelling them through the air until his family and even the temple were far below.

Steven cheered as Lapis circled, steering them toward the boardwalk.  Flying was always fun and exciting!  Sure, he could float on his own, but it wasn’t the same thing.  Lapis had complete mastery of the air and could move wherever she wanted, however fast she wanted.  Steven…could blast off into the sky and then hold himself in place.  He was learning, but he’d never be able to do all the things she could do.

Below them, several citizens and tourists were already out and about on the boardwalk.  He waved at a few he recognized, though none of them seemed to see him up in the sky.  Well, that was okay.  He could say hi to them later.  At least they looked like they were having fun.  Onion was running off toward the arcade, probably on a quest for a million tickets.  There was Mayor Dewey and Buck heading into The Big Donut.  It looked like Kiki was having her morning run.  And there was Ronaldo on his phone - updating his blog, maybe?

Steven smiled.  It seemed like it was another normal, peaceful day for the town.  Seeing them all able to live their lives was one of the greatest joys in his.  These were all his friends - he wanted nothing more than to make sure they could stay safe.

“How are you doing up there, Steven?”  Lapis continued on, turning so she was heading toward the water tower.  She was taking things slow and easy, he noticed, though he wasn’t sure if it was because of his Dad’s nervousness, her own nervousness, or her wanting to let him people watch.

“I’m great!”  He smiled at her.  “That’s for bringing me up here.  Are you doing okay, though?”

“Yeah.  I’m fine.”

Her tone wasn’t a very convincing one, though.  “Lapis, you know you can always talk to me, right?”

“I know.”  She glanced back to offer him a smile, and it seemed genuine, though there was a look in her eyes that told him she was thinking about darker things.  “And I’m fine.  Well, mostly.”  She turned away as he frowned at her.  “It’s nothing you need to worry about, and it’s one of those things that talking doesn’t help with.”

“All right…”  He wished there was something he could do for her, though.  Lapis suffered so much…she deserved to be happy, but that seemed like such a hard emotion for her.

“Being up here with you makes it better.” Lapis neared the water tower and turned again, heading toward the car wash.  “Being with you at all makes it better.  It’s just…really hard to be around a large crowd after thousands of years alone.”

Steven leaned forward to try and give her a hug.  It…almost worked, but this was a very awkward angle.  “I understand.  I just wish I could help more, you know?  Or go back in time and rescue you sooner.  You didn’t deserve to go through any of that.”

Lapis made a sound that could have been laughter or crying.  Steven hugged her tighter, doing his best to be mindful of his strength.  Gems didn’t need to breathe, but he didn’t think being strangled was fun for them.

As he straightened back into a sitting position, he spotted something in the sky some distance away.  He couldn’t tell what it was, and he only saw it for a moment as it streaked down toward the ocean.

“What was that?” he asked.  Maybe Lapis had gotten a better look.  At the very least, she knew more about gem stuff than he did, so she’d know if it was something to worry about.

“What was what?”  Lapis slowed and looked around.

“Well, it’s already gone,” Steven explained.  “But there was something in the sky over there.”  He pointed in the direction he’d seen the whatever-it-was fall.

“I didn’t see it…”  Lapis stared where Steven was pointed.  “Did you want to go investigate?”

“I think I want to ask Sapphire about it,” Steven replied.  “She might have seen it coming.”

“All right.”  Lapis angled them toward the beach house and sped off, passing the lighthouse in an instant and swooping down toward the beach.

In the time they’d been gone, the rest of Steven’s friends and family had finished decorating.  Bright pink tablecloths covered the tables, and covering those were a pile of presents, stacks of disposable plates and cups, and various bags of chips and other snacks.  Balloons and ribbons decorated everything from the tables to Dad’s van and even the house.  Dad had brought the grill out, and Steven could smell the sausages cooking.  Nearly everyone was assembled around the grill, but he could see Ruby and Sapphire halfway up the hill, staring in the direction he’d seen the thing fall.

“Looks like she noticed,” Lapis observed as she landed near the start of the hill.

“Yeah…I’m not sure if I should bother her.”  Steven climbed off Lapis’ back.  “But thanks for flying me around town.  That was a lot of fun!”

Lapis gave him a thumbs-up and went to join the others.  Steven looked between her and Sapphire, torn on what he wanted to do.

“It’s going to be okay.”

Steven jumped at Sapphire’s sudden reassurance.  He hadn’t expected her to notice him, but maybe he should have?  He approached her, following her gaze.  “The thing’s not dangerous?”

“I can find no near future where we’re attacked because of it,” Sapphire replied.

Steven smiled.  “That’s great!  Should we go find it, though?  It might be another gem that needs our help, like Blue!”

“That won’t be necessary.”  Sapphire ruffled his hair.  “For now, let’s enjoy your party.”

“All right.”  Steven wasn’t sure they should just leave the thing alone, but if Sapphire thought it was safe, then she was probably right.  Besides, he’d been looking forward to this all year.  It would be a shame to miss out.  He could enjoy himself and still keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

He headed down the hill with Sapphire and Ruby following, and went to join his Dad by the grill.

“Hey Steven.  Did you have fun?”  Dad was smiling, though the worry didn’t quite leave his eyes.

“Yeah!”  Steven beamed at him, hoping to be reassuring.  “We got to see the entire town!  It was nice and peaceful today.”

“Glad to hear it.”  Dad flipped the sausages, examining each before placing them back on the grill.  “Breakfast should be done soon if you want to find a seat.”

“Do you need any help before I do?” Steven asked.

Dad shook his head.  “Nah, I’ve got this.  It’s your birthday - you should relax!  In fact, I’ve got the birthday suit in the back of the van if you wanted to go ahead and put it on.”

“Oh!  Yeah!”  Steven headed to the van, spotting the crown and cape waiting for him on the mattress.  He hurriedly put them on and made his way to the tables, picking a spot near the center of one so he could be as close to as many of his friends and family as possible.

“Hey, Steven!”  Connie took a seat beside him.  “Hard to believe it’s been an entire year since the gem drill, huh?”

Steven nodded.  “Yeah, but so much has happened in that time, too.  I mean, look at how much we’ve grown.”  He gestured to Peridot, who was showing off her metal levitation powers by floating on a trash can lid.  The lid looked a bit wobbly, and she had to keep adjusting how she was sitting on it, but she was doing pretty good.  At least, she hadn’t fallen yet.

Lapis and Amethyst were near the green gem.  He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Lapis made a comment that seemed to annoy Peridot and amuse Amethyst.  Amethyst put an arm around the blue gem and said something that made her blush.  Did he want to know?

Probably not.  He loved them both, but he knew the sorts of things that amused Amethyst.

Connie giggled.  “Yeah.  At this rate, you’ll have an entire army by your next birthday.”

“We will.”  Steven grinned at her.  “You’re a Crystal Gem too, you know.”

Connie blinked at him.  “Don’t I need to be a gem for that?”

Steven shook his head.  “I don’t think so.  I mean, you go on missions with us and we do all that sword training together.  The only thing you don’t do is live in the temple or in my room, and I’m pretty sure your parents wouldn’t like that idea very much.”

Connie’s eyes widened.  “Yeah.  My mom wouldn’t be happy.  I’m lucky she’s letting me be here for the whole day instead of studying.”

“I’m glad you got her to let you,” Steven replied.

“So am I.”  Connie grinned at him.  “You look nice today, by the way.”

“You too!”  Steven replied.  And she did - even if his shirt was a bit too big on her.  That might even add to the charm of the outfit.

Or maybe he was just really happy.

“Hey, Steven.”  Lapis walked to the table, carrying three plates of food and an armful of bottles.  She set a plate down each in front of him and Connie, and another in front of the chair across from him.  The bottles - orange juice, two kinds of syrup, and whipped cream were placed between them.

“Thanks, Lapis!  Oh, you’re eating, too?”  Steven grinned at her.

Lapis was one of the easier gems when it came to convincing her to eat, but she never ate more than a few bites of anything.  It looked like she’d grabbed an entire waffle for herself.  That still wasn’t as much food as she’d given him and Connie - they each had a sausage and a couple fried eggs in addition to the waffle at the center of their plates - but that was like four times the amount of food she usually took.

“Yeah, why not?”  Lapis sat down and stared at the plate.  “This party’s important, right?”

Steven’s eyes widened.  “Oh, that’s right!  You don’t know what a birthday is!”

“I do,” Lapis countered.  “Greg told us everything when we started planning the party.”

“I guess that’s not something you’d celebrate when you can live to be thousands of years old…”  Connie mused.

Lapis shrugged.  “For gems, there’s not a point to having a birthday.  For one thing, we’re made, not born.  Besides, there’d be hundreds of other gems counting the exact same day as theirs.”  She shivered.  “Then some of you are shattered or lost, and…”  She shook her head.  “It’s just better if we don’t.”

Steven frowned at her.  The creation of his friends wasn’t something he thought about much, aside from Amethyst, but Amethyst was a special case.  Well…and Garnet, but Garnet’s two halves had to have come from somewhere, and everyone must have been friends with at least some of their sisters, right?  How would it feel to pop out of the ground with a whole bunch of other gems, make friends, and then be separated from most of them?

That’d be awful.

The sound of plastic cutlery scraping against a paper plate beside him reminded him that he had food that was getting cold.  He stabbed the sausage with a fork and took a bite off one of the ends, chewing and swallowing before going to the other end.  Lapis was staring at Connie as she cut up her waffle, but as soon as she’d taken her first bite, Lapis focused on her own food, cutting the waffle into pieces and drizzling on maple syrup and whipped cream just as Connie had done.  But of course she would follow either of them - she didn’t really know how most foods worked, did she?  Thinking back on it, Steven had only introduced her to a few things - hamburgers, fries, pizza of course…but his breakfast of choice tended to be donut-based.  Maybe he should have offered instructions?

Well…she had the hang of it now.  Steven watched as Lapis brought a forkful of the sweet bready substance to her mouth.  She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, and then her eyes widened and she grabbed the syrup bottle again, drowning the rest of the waffle and taking in several more bites at once.

Connie shifted beside him and made a weird coughing sound that sounded suspiciously like she was trying to mask a laugh.  Steven glanced at her, just to make sure she was actually okay.  Seeing that she was, he focused on his own meal, resisting the urge to giggle.  He was glad Lapis had found a food she liked - he’d have to have waffles more often.  He should introduce her to pancakes, too - see which she liked better.

The rest of breakfast went on without incident.  Dad and Amethyst joined them - Dad sitting beside him and Amethyst taking a seat beside Lapis and across from Connie - as Steven finished his sausage and eggs and poured everyone a glass of orange juice.  The group talked as they ate - the topic ranging from Dad’s music to training to Connie’s classes.  Lapis left somewhere in the middle, heading over to where Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl, and Peridot were setting up the volleyball net - they’d apparently remembered that no beach party was perfect without a volleyball match.  Blue had settled in Dad’s van during the meal and was busily sorting through his music, though she’d suddenly bolted out the van and down the beach toward the town as Steven was chewing the last bites of his waffle.

Amethyst cackled.  “Well, we know who just arrived.”

Blue returned a few moments later, carrying a pretty heavy-looking mailbag toward the gift table.  Jamie was a few steps behind her, and Steven hurried over to meet him.

“Steven!”  Jamie held out his hand for a high-five that the half-gem quickly delivered.  “Happy birthday!  I hope I’m not too early.  I finished my mail route early and didn’t see a point in heading back home first.”

“Thanks!  You’re right on time!”  Steven grinned at the mailman.  “I’m glad to see you here.  Did you want some breakfast?  I think everyone that wants to eat is about done, but it shouldn’t be hard to get another waffle going, or something.”

Jamie shook his head.  “No, thank you.  I ate before I left.”

“Fair enough.  You definitely want to have room when we bring out the cake!”  Steven led Jamie toward the tables.  “So how’s work coming on your musical?”

“The script is…coming, I think,” Jamie responded.  “It’s in its third rewrite.  I think it’s getting closer to my vision, though, so that’s good.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Steven replied.

“See it?”  Jamie turned to him.  “I was hoping you’d be _in_ it, if you wanted.”

Steven gasped and stared at the mailman, hands at his cheeks.  “That would be _amazing_!”

Jamie grinned.  “I have the perfect part for you, too, though I think we should save that talk for when I have the script mostly completed.”

Steven nodded, beaming.  “I can ask Pearl if you need help writing it.  She did really good with the William Dewey play.”

Jamie considered.  “We’ll see how much of a struggle it ends up being in the following weeks.”

“That’s fair.”  Steven stopped at the table, where Blue was placing the last of the gifts in neat stacks.  “Are these really all for me?”

“Yep!”  Jamie smiled at him.  “From all around town.  You’ve got a lot of friends, Steven.”

Steven giggled.  “That’s because Beach City is the friendliest town on earth!”

“Steven,” Pearl called from the volleyball court.  “We’re ready to play when you are.”

“Just a minute!” Steven called back.  “Hey Jamie, you should play with us!”

“Er…all right.”  Jamie looked from Steven to Blue, relaxing visibly when the latter smiled at him.

Steven made his way to the volleyball court, listening for the two sets of footsteps behind him that would tell him that Blue and Jamie were following.  He could also hear Jamie whisper something, and the breathy sounds that counted as her laughter.  What were they talking about?  Would it be rude to ask?

Eh, he’d save it for later.

The next few hours were filled with activity, laughter, and the occasional light-hearted bickering and playful banter.  Volleyball was first - Steven, Connie, Amethyst, Pearl, and Lapis making one team and Dad, a temporarily re-fused Garnet, Peridot, Blue, and Jamie making the other.  They played a couple practice rounds so Lapis, Peridot, and Blue could get the hang of the sport, and Steven attempted to make the other gems promise not to use their powers.

They didn’t…for about ten minutes.  After that, the court was filled with water clones and holograms, Amethyst’s shape changed every few moments or so, the ball would glow and mysteriously change direction whenever Steven’s team seemed to have the advantage, and at one point Lapis had to jump back as the ball soared straight for her, impacting and instantly melting the sand where she’d been into glass.  The game ended without a winner - in the chaos, no one had bothered to keep score.  That was fine - they’d been playing for fun instead of points, anyway.  Besides, no one had gotten hurt.  That meant they all won!

Next was a checkers tournament where water balloons were hurled at whoever lost one of their game pieces.  Pearl had done the work of setting up matches according to skill level, and things had gone smoothly until Ruby got a bit over-excited in the second round and ended up flinging the board and half the checkers into the ocean.  From there, the game evolved into a water balloon fight that eventually turned into an all-out water fight with everyone against Lapis.

Of course Lapis won.  It took maybe half a minute - just long enough for her to summon a massive wave that somehow drenched everyone else without touching any of the party supplies, tables, or gifts.

After that, the gems dispelled the water from their bodies, and Pearl retrieved some towels for Steven and the humans at the party.  The towel wouldn’t do much for their clothes, but they could at least wipe the water away from their eyes and hands, and the heat of the midday sun would take care of everything else soon enough.

Steven dried off as best he could and spread his towel out on the sand so he could sit on it and stare at the ocean.  Behind him, he could hear Dad strumming on one of his guitars.  Part of him wanted to ask if he could join in, but the other part of him just wanted to sit here and think for a minute.  He didn’t know if it was because he was getting older, or if it was the weight of being a Crystal Gem, but he was really starting to appreciate quiet, thoughtful moments as they presented themselves.

Maybe it was just because he had a lot to think about these days, even if most of it concerned how much he loved his family.  They’d all come so far together.  Garnet was more open and emotive than she’d been when he first started living near the temple.  Pearl was more accepting of humans in general and had even started being friendly with dad - genuinely friendly and not just tolerant like she used to be.  Amethyst had really matured - she was still gross sometimes, but she acted with empathy instead of simply doing what she wanted as she wanted it.  There was more to her past behavior than he’d originally known about - he knew part of it was from a fallout between Amethyst and Pearl that was well on its way to being repaired - but seeing her act more like…well…an adult, even if gems didn’t really grow up, it was a little sad but a lot satisfying, and he was really proud of her.

Even the newer gems had grown in the time he’d known them.  Peridot had gone from being hostile to one of the most sensitive gems he knew.  Lapis didn’t run off quite as often, and seemed more relaxed when she was at home.  Then there was Blue, who had gone from being timid and fearful to everyone to making friends with the whole family - and even a few humans in town.  If he looked over his shoulder, he could see her and Jamie discussing something near the hill leading up to the house, though he wasn’t sure what.  It didn’t matter, as long as they were happy.  And then there was his Dad, who seemed to be getting more comfortable around gem stuff, and the gems were getting more comfortable around him.  Maybe he could even move back into the house someday!  They’d need a second bed, but they could work that out - easily!

Something moved beside him.  He turned in time to see Connie sit beside him, her gaze fixed on the ocean.  She didn’t say a word - just watched the water roll gently on the breeze.  He grinned and resumed watching the ocean, as well.  Connie was someone else he was proud of.  In the time he’d known her, she’d grown from a shy and quiet kid to a confident and capable warrior.  It was almost hard to recognize the old Connie in the new, though he could sometimes catch glimpses of her…usually when some book or other was involved.  The two of them made an amazing team, and he couldn’t even begin to count the ways she’d changed his life.

Without her, he’d never have known about The Unfamiliar Familiar, or Dogcopter.  More importantly, he’d never have taken his fighting training as seriously.  Even more importantly, he’d be lost.  Connie completed a part of him he’d never known was missing.  His days weren’t complete if he couldn’t talk to her, and she was always somewhere in his thoughts.  Sometimes she was the focus, and sometimes it was more of a passing “I wonder if she’d like these cheese puff sushi rolls better with cucumber or carrot”.

One of these days, he’d have to tell her how he felt.  Before something bad happened to either of them.  Maybe today?  …Maybe now?

“Hey, Steven!  Happy Birthday!”

Sadie’s voice washed over his thoughts, pushing everything else to the back of his mind.  Steven stood and waved to the short blonde woman as she approached.  “Sadie!  Glad you could make it!”

“Me, too.”  Sadie handed over two presents - one neatly wrapped in colorful paper, and the other crumpled inside a paper shopping bag held closed with liberal amounts of tape.  “One of these is from Lars.  He’s sorry he can’t make it, but one of us has to watch the donut shop.  I actually can’t stay for very long…who knows what he’ll get up to without me.  Or won’t get up to…”

Steven grinned.  “I’ll have to stop by when we’re done to tell him all about it!  Remind me when you need to go back and I’ll get some cake wrapped up for him.”

Steven headed to the gift table to deposit the gifts.  As he was walking back, Peedee arrived.

“I can’t stick around,” the young Fryman stated when Steven ran to greet him.  “Dad needs help with the shop, and you know how Ronaldo is.”

“That’s okay.”  Steven grinned at Peedee.  “I’m glad you could come over at all.”

Jenny, Sour Cream, Buck, Onion, and - surprisingly - Vidalia arrived soon after, carrying several gifts and a few stacks of pizzas between them.  More greetings and birthday wishes were exchanged - Jenny passed on a happy birthday from Kiki, who was stuck tending the register at the pizza place - and Dad ushered Steven back to the gift table as everyone took a seat.

Funny…this used to be his favorite part of birthday parties.  Now, though…he appreciated the gifts, but right now he just wanted to get through with opening them all so he could go talk with everyone again.  Had all his practice in grown-up thoughts helped him mature?  Or had he come by it naturally?  …Or was he just in a sentimental mood?  With him, it could be anything.

Well, the gifts weren’t going to open themselves.  He pulled the closest ones into his lap and started tearing at paper, reading aloud each tag and card he came across as he revealed more and more presents.  Most of them were clothes or books - including an omnibus that contained the first three Dogcopter novels - though there were a few gifts that stood out from the rest.  His Dad had bought him the newest Lonely Blade video game.  Sadie gave him a really cute pair of stuffed animals - a lion and lioness.  He got some pretty nice art supplies from Connie.  Jenny had given him a CD from some metal group - he didn’t know if he’d like it, but he’d definitely have to give it a listen later.  Maybe it’d be a new favorite?  Onion gifted him a handful of G.U.Y.S and G.A.L.S - including Karen!  Finally, Amethyst had gotten him a few bags of limited edition Biscuits and Gravy Chaaaaps - he opened one of the bags and ate a handful immediately, before Onion could steal them.

Once the gifts were all opened and the wrapping paper disposed off, it was time for pizza, ice cream, and cake.  The cake was multi-tiered with one layer of chocolate, one strawberry, and one vanilla.  It almost looked like a wedding cake, only more colorful and not quite as elegant.  It was beautiful, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket to snap a picture of it before the candles were put on.

Dad lit the candles, and everyone sang to him.  Well…everyone but Blue, who strummed along on one of Dad’s guitars. Unlike last year, the candles remained lit for him to deal with, which meant making a special birthday wish.  These were always hard, but this year his wish was easy.

_I wish for my family to keep growing together._

He blew out the candles…and a good chunk of the frosting.  Oops.  Ah well, the cake would still be delicious.  He sliced the cake up as evenly as he could manage, and pieces were passed around.  One of the first pieces not set aside for him went to Pearl, who surprisingly took it without complaint, though she did refuse everything else.  Ah well, he’d take his victories where he could find them.  In the meantime, he enjoyed his own slice, letting the whipped icing and the strawberry cake mingle on his tongue for a bit with each bite before chewing and swallowing.

“Hey Schtu-ball.”  Dad sat beside him.  “Good day, still?”

Steven grinned at him.  “One of the best!  Thanks for doing this, Dad.”

“Eh, it was mostly the gems’ idea.”  Dad took a big bite of his own slice of cake, chocolate crumbs falling into his beard.  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen them this excited to practice a human custom before.”

“Maybe I should throw them another birthday party?”  Steven considered the thought.  “It went pretty badly last time, but those were kid parties.  Maybe they’d like the adult version a bit better.  Peridot, Lapis, and Blue haven’t had birthday parties yet either, and everyone deserves the experience.”

“That might be something for you to talk to them about first,” Dad responded.  “But whatever you decide, just…try to keep your age under fifty, all right?”

“I’ll be okay,” Steven assured him.  “I have better control over my powers, now, so that shouldn’t happen again.”

“I’m very glad to hear it.”

Steven finished the rest of his cake and took a couple scoops of Neapolitan ice cream, making sure he got a taste of all three flavors.  Then he ate a couple slices of pepperoni pizza while watching Amethyst eat an entire pizza by herself, box and all.  It was weird that that was normal to him, but he’d lived with Amethyst for years by this point.  He knew what to expect with her.

Once everyone had eaten, the remaining pizzas were boxed up and taken inside with Steven’s gifts.  The remains of the cake were divided between Steven’s human friends to be taken back to their families - or Lars, in Sadie’s case.  Then, as Sadie and Peedee headed back into town to resume their shifts and Vidalia took Onion home, the tables and chairs were pushed aside, and Dad and Peridot set up the dance floor and record player.

A fast-paced song began to play.  Jenny, Sour Cream, and Buck danced together at the far corner of the dance floor, while Ruby and Sapphire danced near the center, each holding the other close.  Steven got a picture of that, too - even seeing Ruby and Sapphire happened so rarely…  He should probably have been taking pictures through the entire party.  Maybe next time they had a party where the two of them were unfused, he’d make up for it.

“Steven, come on!”  Connie grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor.

Steven let her, following her lead as she stepped and twirled around him.  She was smiling the whole time, and he found himself giggling in response.  This was a lot more fun than his last birthday, when he’d been so focused on trying to keep his age altered that he hadn’t been able to just relax and enjoy being with his family and best friend.  Maybe his body was a bit younger than it should be, but he was still him, and they all accepted him for how he was.

That was a great feeling.

The dance floor filled up around them.  Dad was hanging out in the van, near the record player, but he looked like he was having fun watching everyone.  He and Peridot were talking about something, though he couldn’t hear what.  Something blue moved in the corner of his eye—no, that _was_ Blue, leading Jamie over the dance floor.  Pearl and Amethyst followed, dancing near each other but not necessarily together.  What about Lapis?  Oh, there - up on the railing, watching everyone.  He guessed she didn’t really feel comfortable in the crowd, yet.  Maybe she and Peridot would come dance later?

The others seemed to be having fun, so he focused on Connie, matching her movements through several fast-paced songs that almost seemed to blend into each other.  Her movements often seemed random - she was definitely getting more comfortable dancing in public - but they’d done this several times, and he liked to think he knew her style like she knew his.  Or maybe they knew each others’ styles because they’d developed them together?

Eventually, Connie’s movements started to slow.  As the song ended, she disengaged, giving him an apologetic smile.

“I think I need some water,” she explained as another song started.  “Do you want any?”

Steven shook his head.  “I’m fine, but I can come with you.”

Connie held out her hands and shook her head.  “That’s okay - you keep having fun!  I’ll be back in just a minute.”

“Okay.”  Steven watched as Connie made her way to the tables, but he was only given a moment.  A tap on his shoulder distracted him, and he turned to see Blue - alone - holding out a hand to him in invitation to dance.  A look around told him Jamie had gone to sit down near the van.  He must have needed a break, too.

Well…  Connie did tell him to have fun.  He grinned and took the offered hand, allowing Blue to lead him through a series of twirls and spins.  If she felt comfortable enough to lead, then he wanted to encourage her - anything to help her get out of the mindset of being property instead of a full gem with rights equal to everyone else.  She was doing better at that, after several months, but there were still times they had to remind her that bowing and blind obedience were bad things.

Also obsessing over cleaning…but Pearl herself struggled with that one, so it was probably a losing battle.

Blue stopped, looking over his shoulder at something.  A glance back showed Connie setting her water down on the table.  Ah, so she was coming back!  Great!  Dancing with Blue had been fun, but Connie was his best friend, and all the gems knew it.

“Thanks for dancing with me.  That was—” He turned back to Blue, meeting her eyes - partially uncovered by their energetic movements.

The sight made him pause.  Not because of the eyes themselves - they were a pretty shade of pale blue, but one he’d gotten used to seeing after their many training sessions.  No, it was the fact that he was looking directly into them.  He was gazing straight ahead - his eyes should be about level with her neck.  That was how much taller she’d been when they’d first met.  She wouldn’t have shrunk herself - Blue never shapeshifted except to alter her outfit for a while - and it wasn’t his magic because his body felt perfectly normal.  Connie was still at least a little taller than him, but she was a little younger than him too, so she was also growing.  He’d have to check his height with Dad and the gems, but it seemed like he’d grown a few inches over the spring and summer!

And - he felt bad thinking it - that was the best gift of all!  If he really had grown, anyway.  It meant he could still grow up with Connie, and maybe even age along with her.  Also, he was slowly coming into his full strength as a gem, but it’d be nice to come into his full strength as a human, too.  His mature thoughts must be working.  He’d have to keep it up.

The gem tilted her head, frowning.  Steven gave her a reassuring smile.  “Sorry.  Just had a thought.  I’m okay.”

The current song ended, and a slow, romantic one began in its place.  Blue bowed to him and then walked away, joining Dad, Peridot, and Jamie at the van.  Connie was with him a moment later, and the two resumed dancing, holding each other and swaying in time to the music. Over her shoulder, he could see Ruby and Sapphire melting into light and growing together, Garnet taking their place a moment later.  He’d miss them, but he was glad to have Garnet back too.  And it was good to be here like this, just enjoying himself with his best friend and his family and some of their friends nearby.  He hoped next year’s party went just like this one.

Bright light caught his attention, and he looked up toward the house, the dance forgotten.  That had definitely been the warp pad, but all the Crystal Gems were right here on the beach with him!  Lapis had apparently had the same thought, because she turned and was through the door in an instant.

Then there was a loud, piercing scream.  Not from Lapis, thankfully, though the voice was oddly familiar.  Blue rushed past him, and Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Peridot joined her as she headed up the hill, over the stairs, and into the house.

“We should probably follow them.”  There was regret in Connie’s voice, but also worry, and maybe a little fear and excitement.  Steven nodded and grabbed her hand.

Then, a moment later, Stevonnie joined the rest of the gems inside the house.

“Please don’t hurt me!”  A delicate yellow form was pinned against the temple door by Lapis’ water wings.  “I’m worth more to you whole, I swear!  I can be useful!  I know all kinds of classified information!”

Garnet and Pearl stood on either side of the dark blue gem - Garnet merely looked cautious, but Pearl’s spear was out and ready.  Amethyst was likewise ready for battle, though she stood off to Pearl’s side and a bit behind the other two, close to the sofa.  Peridot and Blue hovered near the door, the former’s expression uncertain and the latter’s mouth twisted into an uncharacteristically hostile snarl. 

“Why are you here?” Lapis all but roared.

The yellow gem - who half of Stevonnie now recognized as the Pearl they’d seen when Peridot tried to contact Yellow Diamond about sparing the earth - flinched and whimpered.  “I escaped!  I can’t go back - Yellow Diamond will shatter me!  Please, I’ll do anything - I just want to exist!”

**Author's Note:**

> Oh Yellow Pearl, what did you do?
> 
> I know it's been ages since I've posted. In my defense, I've been writing. It's just the past several attempts at stories have gone a few thousand words in before they started giving me real trouble, making me give up and scrap them to try something different. >.< The good news is I figured out what was holding me back finally. The bad news is it involves introducing a new character before I'm really ready. Well, always give the story what it wants... Seriously, though, there are currently seven characters living together in the temple/Steven's room. Maybe eight. I already struggle to keep track of everyone, so things are going to get very interesting...
> 
> Before I get too far into this, I want to repeat what I've said before about Blue's voice. I know canon Blue has one, but the first story in the series was written before she spoke, and I'm sticking to what's already been established for now. If the series wants her to gain a voice in the course of it all, it'll happen, but for now...does she really need "fixed"?
> 
> I wanted to touch on the subject of heights, while I'm at it. Before a certain recent episode, I'd headcanoned Pearl as being about a head taller than most other Pearls, similar to Skinny compared to the other Amethysts and Jaspers. Yellow Pearl and Blue Pearl seemed slightly fuller-bodied (at least, fuller-hipped) compared to Pearl's beanpole frame, and height comparisons from The Answer pointed to Blue being a little shorter than Pearl, anyway, so it made sense. Since I'd sort of established this headcanon for the series in the first story, I'll be keeping to the old idea. A few seconds of one episode is kind of weak evidence, anyway, and heights are way too flexible in the show. Why not, this is an AU anyway. It became an AU pretty much as soon as the Gem Drill/Cluster arc was over. Anyway, Steven's still a growing boy. What better time for him to notice this than his birthday?
> 
> I feel like there was more I wanted to say, but I can't remember. >.< It'll probably come to me after I've posted. Fortunately, editing is a thing that exists. Anyway, I fought to get this finished and posted before my next surgery (which is tomorrow morning - just barely made it!). I have no idea how long it's going to take me to recover, and I have a new laptop I need to get set up, but I'll definitely keep writing, assuming I survive. The next posted story will continue where we left off, but I'm not sure what one-shot's going to call to me after that. We'll find out when we get there, hopefully.


End file.
